Speedblog: Clemson vs Wake Forest

Speedblog: Clemson vs. Wake Forest

I walked away from the television with the last 90 seconds left of this ball game as Wake Forest will win this game, 12-7.

Clemson was ranked as high as #8 in the nation…what’s up with that? And neither team had any offense. One might say that the defenses were very good, and I would agree, but Wake Forest should have had many more points than that. If you just looked at highlights and not look at the score, you’d swear the score was something like 21-7 or 24-7, Wake Forest.

If Wake Forest represented the second best team in the ACC (or best) then the whole conference is in a serious depression. You can say that it’s competitive, and in truth it is, but right now NOBODY in the ACC is going to scare anybody for the BCS crown. You can go ahead and mark off this conference for a serious contender. Of the six major conferences, I think the ACC and Big East are the weakest.

Having said that, I really did enjoy the play calling for Wake Forest. It’s like they wanted to dazzle the fans and confuse the Clemson defense. And for many parts they did, until they got to the red zone, and completely forgot how to play.

And one thing I kinda get tired of hearing is the guys calling the game saying silly stuff like, “he’s gotta make that catch” or “he’s gotta make that play”. You notice how they ALWAYS say that about the receiver, as if the quarterback is never at fault? I agree that there are some catches that are dropped and is the receiver’s fault, but if a quarterback throws a pass too high, too low, or behind the receiver, or leads him into a dangerous hit, that is the quarterback’s fault.

One of the plays had a receiver that was led into the middle of a couple of defenders, and as he was hit he dropped the ball, to which the guys on ESPN said, “that’s a pass he’s got to make”. That’s hindsight and silly to say, of COURSE he should have made it, but how about passing a plate of BLAME to the quarterback as well.

But it was actually a good game, I enjoyed it, while bouncing back to the Winston Salem State University game on ESPNU. You know me, I love my football…

So now where do we stand with Clemson and Wake Forest?

Wake Forest sits on top of the Atlantic Division and is all but guaranteed post season play. At 4-1, their next two games are at Maryland and at Miami. If this team does not start finding the end zone soon, they are going to lose at LEAST one of these games…possibly even both.

But in the even that they split (which is likely), they should be able to snatch a win from Duke at home, and maybe even Virginia (one of the worst offensive teams in the nation). They’ll probably be 7-2 when they visit Raleigh and NC State, a game that could go either way since it is a state rival. They end their season against Boston College and finally against surprising Vanderbilt. I’m telling you now, that Boston College game may determine who will be playing in the ACC Championship…

But what of Clemson? At 3-3, things are NOT looking good. Already 2 losses in their own division, they simply cannot lose anymore. I really can’t see them beating Georgia Tech, but since it is a home game, and they are very desperate, there is always hope. Games at Boston College and Florida State could prove challenging, but FSU has not shown too much this year. By the time Clemson sees Duke, they could be 4-5 and needing to beat Duke, Virginia AND South Carolina just to make it to a bowl…I would not bet the house on that.

I think that IF Clemson qualifies for a bowl, it will be by a narrow margin, and if so, they may end up going to the Eaglebank Bowl in DC vs. Navy (if they qualify). Personally, I think this bowl would like to invite Maryland or Virginia if they qualify.

So the ACC continues to fight for supremacy, I think Virginia Tech is still the best team in the conference, and you could see VA Tech play Boston College in the ACC Championship…but we’ll see what Wake Forest has to say about that.

Anyway, gotta fly….